www.ukbutterflies.co.uk

Beautiful study of the Mating pair, Neil. One of your best images IMO.
Still waiting for the proper kick off.

Get better soon,
Trevor.

Great shot of the pair, Neil! The next few days are forecast for wall-to-wall sunshine, which I suppose means a few may well emerge, but from what you say will be nigh on impossible to photograph... Early starts or late finishes required perhaps?

Cheers,

Dave

Thanks, Pete, Trevor and Dave. I've photographed mating LTBs in the UK before, but this pair was the most photogenic by far. When the female opened up, after they parted, she revealed an upperside which was in surprisingly poor shape. I definitely caught her best side.
BWs, Neil

Hmmmm I'm free this coming weekend, whatever shall I do with myself...

You always deliver, Neil, I'll give you that.

Interesting to read your commentary too. I sincerely hope that this does indeed signal the start of an exciting and rare event.

The next couple of weeks should support that sentiment, I hope.

Late LTBs

Yesterday (17 September) I watched a female Long-tailed Blue through the security fence at Lancing Station. From her quite good (but chipped) condition, determined through binoculars, I suspect she represents one of the late wave primary immigrants seen in Sussex since 10 September. She appeared to be laying many eggs, very quickly, so there's a chance that some LTBs will still be emerging at the start of November, assuming the weather is kind.

New Site For Long-tails

Today (19 September) I visited Thundersbarrow Hill, where Patrick Moore found a Sussex-born male Long-tailed Blue yesterday. I later found out that, after a long walk, I had stopped just 200 metres short of where I needed to be! However, compensation came on my return journey, when I found a late wave immigrant LTB (male) in the scrubby compartment at Southwick Hill, nearly a kilometre away (TQ236078). I suspect that the species has been breeding on Common Gorse up here, and further searches may prove fruitful over the coming weeks.

Also seen were Wall Brown (14), Small Copper (4), Brown Argus (3), Clouded Yellow (1), numerous Speckled Wood (many in pristine condition) and a few Small Heath, Painted Lady and Red Admiral.

Neil Hulme wrote:...Today (19 September) I visited Thundersbarrow Hill, where Patrick Moore found a Sussex-born male Long-tailed Blue yesterday.

Did he use his telescope!

Seriously, this Long Tailed Blue migration is looking to be quite a phenomenon right now. We still have adults from the first wave and with any luck they will be joined by a home-grown influx very soon.

Exciting times!

Hi David
No, that's silly, but he did spot them at night!
BWs, Neil

Long-tailed Explosion!

Saturday (21 September) saw the start of the largest ever hatch of Long-tailed Blue on British soil. Some sites cannot be reported as they are on inaccessible private land, while there is some sensitivity over others, as this species has a habit of breeding in private gardens and allotments; we must be respectful when congregating in urban areas.

However, there can be little doubt that everyone who wishes to see this species will have the opportunity to do so over the next few weeks. LTBs should appear at all the sites where it was seen in 2013 and 2015, and many others - just look for the pea! I'm aware of at least 50 individuals flying in Sussex on Saturday and that number is likely to increase. We are currently seeing a mix of Sussex-born butterflies and late arrival primary immigrants, some of which are still laying eggs.

Beautiful Neil, and on a Pea flower too!.
Good to see you today, hope the gathering cloud didn't spoil the party.

Trevor.

Excellent, Neil.
My own searches in Essex today failed to turn up any signs, so I will be keeping an eye on sightings, with a view to heading down in early October.

That was a very enjoyable day Neil. I have a sneaky suspicion I might bump into you again in the coming weeks, along with several other familiar faces

Thanks, Trevor. Unfortunately the weather collapsed completely, so I was just in time to see that butterfly you were photographing. Fortunately I had a nice male with open wings earlier in the day.

Hi Mark. I don't think there's much sunshine planned until w/c 30 September, so later that week might be good.

It certainly was, Paul. I'm sure there will be even better to come.

BWs, Neil

Knepp Monsters

A break from Long-tailed Blue hunting, enforced by poor weather, saw me heading to the Knepp Wildland on Sunday (22 September). It will be a while yet before the Fallow start rutting, but the huge Red stags are already rounding up their harems.

If visiting Knepp in the rutting season, please do keep to public and permissive rights of way.

Long-tailed Blue Delay

On Monday (23 September) I visited a site on the outskirts of Newhaven, to search for Long-tailed Blue. The strong breeze seemed to be suppressing activity, with the five individuals seen falling below expectations. However, I did photograph a smart Sussex-born male. A dash to Whitehawk Hill TV mast, to beat the rapidly collapsing weather, was a little too late, but I did briefly see one of the five reported (late wave immigrant) males, before the dark clouds rolled in.

It looks as if any further action will now be delayed by poor weather. However, this will be a suspension, rather than a cancellation of normal services. The adults and pupae will sit it out, and temperatures are easily sufficient to ensure that larval development will continue.

Weather Window Blues

An unexpected but welcome break from the foul weather this afternoon (24 September) prompted both Lindsay Morris and me to visit Lancing Ring. We decided to spread our efforts, with him heading for the far side of the wooded summit and me staying to search the chalk pit to the east of the car park.

Fortunately, Lindsay had made a short detour to pick up his mobile, as it wasn't more than about 20 minutes before I found a Sussex-born female Long-tailed Blue. I was delighted that he got back in time to see it, as it was his sighting of a male LTB yesterday which had led me here - thanks, Lindsay! While photographing her, another LTB whizzed past me, but I never relocated it and couldn't determine its sex.

There were plenty of other butterflies on show, including at least half-a-dozen Wall, mostly in pristine condition. We watched a brief but successful courtship and pairing. I went home satisfied that we had made the most of this short weather window.

What a beauty!

Perfection, Neil. Good to also know that they can sit out this awful, wet spell and respond when conditions improve. Let's hope that's soon!

Hello Neil,
I realise it is late and you may not see this before but I am toying with the idea of heading down to Brighton on the train tomorrow and see you mentioned grid reference TQ33000452 earlier. Is this still a good place to look?

Any info will be greatly appreciated.